1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the handling of dough for baking, and more particularly concerns apparatus for dispensing successive pieces of dough of uniform shape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Methods and apparatus for pumping, homogenizing and dividing bakery dough into pieces of predetermined uniform weight for baking into bread loaves, buns, rolls and the like are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,960,601; 4,517,212; 4,449,908; 4,424,236; 4,332,538; 4,948,611; and 5,046,940. In general, such apparatus includes a hopper which receives dough, auger means for advancing the dough, metering means which control the advance of the dough, nozzles which receive the metered dough, and cutting means which sever the continuously advancing dough into discrete pieces that fall onto an underlying moving belt.
The number of pieces of dough that fall onto the belt in laterally spaced array usually corresponds to the number of nozzles. However, in some instances a positioner device may be utilized to distribute pieces of dough emergent from a single nozzle onto different positions transverse to the direction of belt travel. Therefore, the number of sites at which pieces of dough are initially disposed upon the belt in lateral array may be greater than the number of nozzles. The several laterally spaced pieces of dough, in longitudinal sequence, constitute separate lines of dough pieces.
The pieces of dough, initially having an irregular shape with protruding portions, are subjected to a shaping treatment which rounds the pieces. The rounding is usually produced by elongated stationary bars extending upwardly from sliding contact with the belt surface and oriented on a bias relative to the direction of belt movement. The bars have an arcuately shaped contact surface, and produce a curling effect as the piece of dough is propelled by the belt in rolling contact with the arcuate surface. Such dough shaping apparatus, generally referred to as a xe2x80x9crounderxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9crounder barxe2x80x9d is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,850 to Cummins. Although such rounder bars are very effective, there is a tendency for the dough to stick to the surface of the rounder bar.
The sticking or adhering effect at the rounder bar sometimes causes fragments to be torn from the dough pieces. Also, if a piece is slowed in its travel upon the rounder bar because of the sticking effect, the next subsequent piece of dough may catch up with and integrate with the slower preceding piece. Efforts to alleviate the sticking effect generally involve the periodic or continuous spraying of release agents such as food-compatible oils. However, such oils adversely affect the aesthetic appearance of the final baked products, and produce accumulations which engender cleaning problems.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved rounder bar for a dough processing apparatus.
It is another object of this invention to provide a rounder bar as in the foregoing object having diminished sticking affinity for dough.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rounder bar of the aforesaid nature which is easily serviceable for maintenance and cleaning purposes.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a rounder bar of the aforesaid nature of durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.
The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by a rounder bar for shaping pieces of bakery dough advancing upon a flat conveyor belt, said rounder bar having an elongated configuration terminating in upstream and downstream ends, and further having:
a) a rear surface bounded by upper and lower edge extremities,
b) a top surface bounded by a forward edge and a rear edge coincident with the upper edge of said rear surface, and
c) an arcuate dough-contacting surface of convex contour in relation to said rear and top surfaces, said arcuate surface extending between a front boundary adjacent the forward edge of said top surface and a back boundary adjacent the lower edge extremity of said rear surface, said arcuate surface containing non-occluding texture means.
In preferred embodiments, the rounder bar is a monolithic structure fabricated of a machinable, moldable polymer having a low surface energy which resists adhesive attachments.